Hokkaido Official Tourism Site HOKKAIDO LOVE!

Kushiro Marsh is a national park consisting of Japan's largest marshland, the Kushiro River and its tributaries, and the hills surrounding the marshland.The park covers an area of 220.7 square kilometers and is home to a variety of precious plants and animals, including the red-crowned crane, which is designated as a special natural treasure by the Japanese government.In 1967, the marsh itself was designated as a national natural monument, which has enabled the park to maintain a landscape unique to Hokkaido and unparalleled in the country.

In 1980, the central part of the marsh became the first Ramsar wetland in Japan, and seven years later, almost the entire area, including the surrounding marshland, was designated as a national park. There are a number of scenic overlooks within the national park, so be sure to visit and take in the magnificent scenery.

Voted as one of the “Top Three Sunsets in the World” alongside other famous worldwide spots like Bali and Manila, Kushiro in East Hokkaido is a reputed sunset-viewing location. Walk along Kita-Odori Street from JR Kushiro Station for about 15 minutes and you’ll come across the viewing spot: the 124-meter-long Nusamai Bridge. Four female statues, the Shiki no Zo, stand atop the guardrails of the bridge and make for a beautiful image when the setting sun paints the sky a calm vermillion hue behind them. The after-dark horizon is no less magical. You can finish your Kushiro visit by admiring the light-up event that starts 30 minutes after sunset, sampling the sunset-themed local cocktail “Kushiro Sunset High Ball”, or hop on the SEA CRANE cruising tour.

The Tsurui Ito Red-crowned Crane Sanctuary is a vast 10-hectare grassland where up to 300 red-crowned cranes can be seen. The late Yoshitaka Ito, who spent many years feeding red-crowned cranes while working as a dairy farmer, provided this place. Currently, feeding activities are held twice a day (from 9:00 and 14:00) from November to March, when food is scarce in the marshland. There is also a nature center operated by the Wild Bird Society of Japan within the sanctuary, where you can listen to explanations of red-crowned crane ecology from rangers and volunteers.

Located about 50 minutes by car from Kushiro Tancho Airport and 1 hour by bus from Kushiro, the nearest city, the Tsurui-Ito Tancho Sanctuary is a must-visit for birdwatchers. While a number of different bird species call this area home, the most spectacular of them all is the red-crowned crane. From November to March, about 300 red-crowned cranes stop in the sanctuary for food. These majestic creatures can be seen standing tall in the distant snowy plains, seemingly chatting amongst themselves before taking flight gracefully through the skies again. In mid-February to early March, the cranes perform their mating dances. This is often considered an ideal time for birdwatchers to snap rare shots of these culturally significant birds.

Lake Akan is famous for its marimo, a special natural treasure. On the southern shore of the lake is Lake Akan Onsen, which boasts a history of more than 100 years. The hot spring resort town stretches along the lakeside and is lined with inns overlooking the lake, as well as restaurants and souvenir stores. Many day-trip bathing facilities are available, making it easy to enjoy the hot springs. In addition to the hot springs, canoeing and other activities are popular, attracting many tourists from all over Japan. The lakeside area is full of attractions such as the Lake Akan Ainu Kotan, where you can experience Ainu culture, the Ainu Theater Ikoro, and the Bokke Nature Trail, where hot mud and volcanic gases spout out from the ground. During the coldest months of the year, Lake Akan is also home to the rare natural phenomenon of frost flowers.